Lunch + Annual meeting
January 23, 2021 Operations Council Meeting Minutes
Chair Bob started the monthly meeting at 12:40 pm; 13 members were in live attendance, no Zoom attendees
Treasurer’s report – Kevin
We have $11,293.98 in the bank, with Accounts Receivable of $850.00, which is for dues from 10 members who are delinquent in payment
Total of 66 members, a few of whom paid with electronic transfers.
Here is a running balance of expenditures for this year:
Caboose Loop Extension $791.70
RR maintenance $757.89
Project Status Reports
Lumber Camp Route - Bob:
Kevin continued building a new crossover as the angles needed adjustment. The old crossover will find a new home elsewhere on the layout, so will not be wasted.
In late spring we will install the new crossover.
The handrails are painted, need to dig some foundation holes by hand for the remaining handrails.
Caboose Route - Bruce:
Grading for Caboose Route is fairly complete. We’re letting the dirt settle in with winter rains
The East and West Portals are fairly substantially done. We will finalize the west end in spring after the mud dries up.
Next summer we’ll regrade the dirt to fill in around the portals. When the ground dries enough we’ll install the gutter boards and finish grading the route, installing base rock so track install can begin.
Overlook retaining wall - Bill:
Grading is done for the main line, spur and drainage channel for water. The retaining wall is done, and ready for rock. The gutter boards are in. We’ll let the dirt settle in with winter rains, then in spring, add 2” of base rock, then Kevin can lay track
Track panel fabrication - Bob
After a variety of members have built many many track panels, we’ve discovered that some were gauged incorrectly; there are about 5 ways this could happen, So, we are going to shelve the old tooling and re-evaluate the entire process of gauging and fabricating panels. Ed Saber has agreed to be our quality inspector for track panels.
We have to remake about one hundred (100) panels, which will take many hours which may take 6 months to complete.
Bruce asked; How about we install them as is in Rabbit Flat and adjust them on the ground, since we had to adjust the previous curved track panels we installed anyway.
Bob: I think it would be better to figure out a way to remanufacture them correctly, then no adjustment would be needed on the ground, and we could set up for production in building 4.
We’ll make new gauge blocks that fit both RMI rail and Tom MIller rail. Bill, Carl, Bob, and Ed will agree on how to do this. Ed wants to use tie plates for good cosmetics in the new plastic tie material. So Bob, Bill, and Mike will look at the ties and tie plates to figure out a way to precisely recess them to make assembly easy and reliably accurate.
Consequently, the urgency to purchase additional tie material has dropped down, since we have so much rework to do.
Carl: while we appreciate all the track panel volunteers, they should be coached, and their first panel should be evaluated by an expert.
We need to make sure the tools allow anybody to build them correctly.
We will build no more new panels until we figure it out.
Gritty Gravel building replacement - Bruce:
The slab is poured, and while it looks high, it is actually level with the track back at the lake intersection and the Feather River r bridge. The long run along the lake takes a dip, which we will raise as part of the project to give a level entry into the Gritty Gravel barn. This means raising the black plate girder bridge and the switch by the dock as well.
The back side of the building will be a cinder block retaining wall to reduce the hillside sliding mud load on the back of the building. Tom is looking at the best blocks to do this with. We may build the wall this winter.
Carl asked if the building would be walk in, or low, like the previous building. Bruce said it would be low, but may have a clerestory center section in the roof similar to Engine House one.
Switch Stands - Bruce:
One new remote switch stand was installed by Carl, Tom, Ken, Matt, & Ken at the Alpine Loop Summit and is being tuned up.
LIghts & Signals - no report
Little Buildings - no report
Spending - Bob.
We have enough funds for our current needs. While we have pushed out the tie material purchase, we will complete that this year, in this budget.
We have purchased two tool boxes, and Carl and Tom have reorganized the tools in Tool Shed 1
The club speeder is now fixed with new batteries and Lance repaired the rheostat.
Our next big expenditure will be ballast, but it is not needed right now due to rains. May-June probably
Kevin and Ken visited Langley quarry on Skyline to see if they would be a viable supplier, but they don’t have washed rock. Washed rock is more expensive, but we need it to bed the ties. So we will continue to use the quarry at Foothill and Stevens Creek.
Bruce: Redwood City quarry has base rock (recycled roadbed material) for $6.50 ton.
Safety and Operations
New Waivers - No one is allowed on the property without a currently signed liability waiver.
If you have not done so, please fill out the waiver and return to Bob
Annual elections -
Bob asked if anybody else would like to run? Hearing none, the current officers, who agreed to continue were elected by a unanimous show of hands.
Bob SIlverstein - President
Kevin Hayashi - Treasurer
Mike Ward - Secretary
BIll Boller - Family Representative
Bruce Swanson - Member at large
Bob was asked a question off-line; Why are we so casual (loosey-goosey ) with our elections?
Answer; We are not a legal entity with all the required protocols and reporting, so we can be more informal.
However, we are guided by our agreement with Family, which we do adhere to.
Covid Safety - Bob
Several members have already had their first Covid-19 vaccinations, and more are scheduled to do so. Please get one as soon as you can. We will still need masks and social distancing for a while.
Future Meet planning: We are still under covid rules for safety, So there will be no joint meet in June.
We will keep monitoring this, and perhaps we can have a small joint meet in October and have some members of Golden Gate and Sacramento join us.
Ballast Material handling - Bill
We promised the family a long term solution. For the short term, Mike’s tractor and willingness to load the hopper will workout, we need a 50 yr solution. ingAs alternatives, we could buy a tractor, or put in a conveyer. Another alternative is to use gravity by storing gravel up on the soccer field, then push it into a chute running down to the Caboose loop to load cars. We are still looking for other creative ideas.
Carl asked: How to load the conveyer?
Bill: Push blade on front of Gator?, hand shovel? The objective is to not have to lift it.
Calendar
Bob forgot to mention that some work / "meet” weekends are not on the 4th weekend. Check the calendar. The ranch is closed on holiday weekends and not staffed.
Bob ended the meeting at 1:07 pm.